Two-time defending national champion Virginia Intermont College will

> start the 2006 season at the top of the charts after being tabbed as

> the top-ranked team in NAIA Men's Cross Country. Teams will travel

> once again to Louisville, Ky. for the 51st Annual NAIA Men's Cross

> Country National Championship November 18.

>

> The Cobras are no strangers to the top spot, having started last

> season's championship run at the top as well. VIC replaced key

> runners lost from last season with elite talent to make a run at a

> third consecutive crown.

>

> Second-ranked Concordia University (Calif.) picks up where last season

> left off. The Eagles kick off this season returning the heart of last

> year's national runner-up team. Add two significant new runners from

> the Junior College ranks, and this could be the year Concordia

> challenges for the national championship.

>

> Aquinas College (Mich.) will start the 2006 season as the third- best

> team in the NAIA. The Saints return nine of their top 11 members

> after placing sixth in Louisville last year.

>

> Just four points down, Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) comes in at

> #4 and Malone College (Ohio) rounds out the top five. Although the

> APU lost three of the top seven runners, APU has more than made up for

> it with strong transfers. Malone has five strong runners returning

> and added a solid recruiting class.

>

> Movers and Shakers-

> Concordia University (Ore.) - The return of most runners off a team

> which just missed cracking the Top 25, the Cavaliers have added four

> new runners with strong times.

> Missouri Baptist University - Unranked at the end of last season, the

> Spartans jumped to #16 thanks to three All Americans return, one from

> track. A slew of talented 1,500-5,000-meter runners will push the top

> three.

> Southern Oregon University -After slipping from No. 6 in the final

> poll last year to No. 22 much is in flux with a new coach and the

> absence of two top runners.

>

> Off the Charts-

> Wayland Baptist University (Texas) - Competing in tough region may

> take its toll on the Pioneers. After the loss of one All-American,

> WBU drops out of the Top 25 from its No. 9 spot at the end of last

> year.

> Vanguard University (Calif.) -The Lions decided to red-shirting their

> #1 runner for the fall, causing the drop from #18 to just outside the

> Top 25.

>

> Wildcards-

> Roberts Wesleyan College (N.Y.) - Although Malone and Cedarville are

> both ahead of RWC, the Raiders could be much stronger than last year.

> The addition of a great front runner could prove valuable.

>

> Preseason rankings can be found online at